Effect of Chinese medicine treatment based on pattern identification on cellular immunophenotype of myelodysplastic syndrome

Objective To observe the influence of treatment based on Chinese medicine pattern identification on cellular immunophenotype of the myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS). Methods Sixty patients with MDS were randomly and equally assigned to the treatment group and the control group using a randomized digital table. Thirty patients in each group included 3 risk levels (low, moderate and high risks) with each level 10 patients according to the international prognostic scoring system. The control group was given conventional therapy which was also used in the treatment group. While the treatment group was given Zuogui Pill (左归丸) and Yougui Pill (右归丸) for low risk patients; Qingwen Baidu Decoction (清瘟败毒饮) and Bazhen Decoction (八珍汤) for moderate risk patients; Gexia Zhuyu Decoction (膈下逐瘀汤) and Qinghao Biejia Decoction (青蒿鳖甲汤) combined with Shiquan Dabu Decoction (十全大补汤) for high risk patients. After the treatment, the differences of overall response rate and immunophenotype (CD13, CD14, CD15, CD33 and CD34) of each group were analyzed. Results The overall response rate of the treatment group was significantly higher than the control group in low risk and moderate risk patients ( P =0.029), there was no statistical differences of overall response rate between the treatment group and the control group in high risk patients ( P =0.089). The expressions of CD13, CD14, CD33 and CD34 in all three risk levels of the treatment group were obviously decreased after the treatment, while CD15 in all three risk levels of the treatment group was obviously increased after the treatment ( P <0.05 or P <0.01). Meanwhile, the difference values of CD13 and CD33 in low risk level of the treatment group, CD33 and CD34 in moderate risk level of the treatment group as well as CD34 and CD15 in high risk level of the treatment group, were all greater than the control groups and they were statistically significant ( P <0.05 or P <0.01). Conclusions It shows a better therapeutic effect if the MDS patients treated with Chinese medicine pattern identification in addition to conventional therapy. Since the treatment may inhibit the malignant clones and improve the dysmaturity of granulocyte differentiation, it is a feasible option in clinical practice.